Table tennis net support



Oct. 19, 1937. D, ROBERTS 2,096,687

TABLE TENNIS NET SUPPORT Filed Aug. 30, 1955 Patented Oct. 19, 1937 v V r UNITED STATES PATENT oFFics TABLE TENNIS NET SUPPORT George D. Roberts, Springfield, Mass assignor to Milton Bradley Company, Springfield, Mass.', n a corporation of Massachusetts Application August 30, 1935, Serial-No. 38,641 11 Claims. (o1; 273-30) This invention relates to a net holder for table the U-shaped'member and is thereby guided and tennis and more specifically to a clamp for seadjusted along the table top.

curing the net in its proper relation to a table or In Figure of the drawing is shown the pr e other supporting surface upon which a gameis ferred arrangement for gu'idingandadjusting the to be P y dnet holder l'l. As will be seen from an inspection 5" The principal objectof my invention is to proof this figure, the back portion of the U-shaped vide a net holder which is made up of fewer parts member is provided with an aperture 2| which is than those at present on the market and which preferably located immediately below the line of is inexpensive to manufacture. intersection of the upper arml l and. back portion Another object of my'invention is to provide a l3. At the free end of the upper arm H down 10 net holder which is capable of ready adjustment turned lugs 22, 22 are provided and as clearly and in which the adjusting element functions shown in Figure v3 provide a guideway 23. In also to secure the net holder to a support. practice these lugs-will be formed by cutting out 4 Still another object of my invention is to proa portion of the metal at the free end of the up 5' vide a net holder which is soconstructed that per arm and bending down the remaining corner 5' its movable parts will not damage the table or portions. It is within the'concept of my invensupporting surface. tion, however; that the depending lugs may be Referring to the accompanying drawing: provided in any manner at'any points "along the Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my net holder; sides of the arm ll 'so'that they may cooperate Fig. 2 is a view in elevation showing my net to form a guideway. 20' holder secured to a table; 7 I prefer in forming the lugs 22 that they be of Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 33 less length than the thickness of the net holder of Fig. 2; arm Hi. When the lugs are so formed they will Fig. 4 is an elevation of a portion of a modified not extend below the bottom of the arm l9 and g Y 25 embodiment of the clamp; and hence not come 'in contact with the surface of 25' Fig. 5 is a plan view of the same. the table. I In the following description of my invention In Figures 4 and 5 I have shown a modified similar parts in the various views are designated form for the upper arm of the U-shaped memby like numerals. ber. In this construction the upper arm 23 is A table or flat playing surface upon which a shown as having turned. down portions providing 30' game is to be played is shown generally at In, flanges 24 one on either side adjacent its end. A substantially U-shaped member which is pref- Of course, it is conceivable that the flanges can erably formed of flat spring material having upextend for the full length of the member 2|, or

per and lower laterally extending arms ll, l2, may be provided at, any points along the length respectively, and an interconnecting back portion of the arm'. a 35 I3 is shown clearly in Figures 1 and 2, and is- In the use of my improved net holder, the leg adapted to be secured to the table l0. As a IQ of the angular'member is inserted in the aperconvenient means of securing the U-shaped memture 2| of the U-shaped member and held against her to the supporting table, I have shown a screw any lateral movement by extending it through the 40 generally at l5 which passes through the lower guideway 23, after which the U-shaped member 40 arm I2 of the U-shaped member. The screw is may be placed over the table edge and fixed provided with a swivel head it which adjusts itthereto by the Screw elhber 5. The leg 9 O self to the undersurface of the table when presthe ang lar member Will at the same time be sure is exerted on the screw.' It is evident that tightly clamped-between the table top and the other means may be used for securing the U- upper arm ll'of'the ll-shaped member since the 45 shaped member to the table but the screw memlugs forming the guideway 23 do not contact the her which I have shown is the common practice table top and pressure is exerted directly against and I prefer to use this means. the leg l9. If any adjustment is required it is In Figures 1 and 2 I have shown an angular only necessary to release the screw l5 and reposimember I! having legs l8, l9 preferably at right tion the leg l9, which may then be fixed by tight- 50 angles to each other. This is the usual conening the screw. struction employed for holding the tennis net and From the above description it will be evident I have shown the leg [8 provided with apertures that I have produced a simple; efiicient and inexto which the ends of the net 20 maybe fastened. pensive net holder, andI do not wish to be limited The other leg I9 is operatively associated with to the particular construction shown, which may 55 be modified within the scope of the invention as particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A net holder comprising, in combination, a clamp adapted to fit about a support and including upper and lower laterally extending-arms and an interconnecting back portion, an aperture in said back portion located immediately below the line of intersection of the upper arm and back portion, a net holding member including a substantially horizontal arm slidably disposed through said aperture and lying beneath and in contact with the upper arm and adapted to rest directly on the support, said upper arm having a central portion and depending side flangesadapted to hold the horizontal arm of-the net holder against lateral movement, said side flanges having a length less than the thickness of the horizontal arm, and means on said lower arm operative through the upper arm to clampthe horizontal arm of the net holder against the support. i

2. A net holdercomprising, in combination, a clamp adapted to fit about a support and including upper and lower laterally extending arms and an interconnecting back portion, an aperture in said back portion located immediately below the line of intersection of the upper arm and back portion, a net holding member including a substantially horizontal arm slidably disposed through said aperture and lying beneath and in contact with the upper arm and adapted to rest directly on the support, said upper arm being substantially flat and being provided with depending lugs adapted to hold the horizontal arm of the net holder against lateral movement, said depending lugs having a length less than the thickness of the horizontal arm, and means on said lower arm operative through the upperarm to clamp the horizontal arm of the net holder against the support.

3. A net holder comprising, in combination, a clamp adapted to fit about a support and il'lCl'lld-r ing upper and lower laterally extending arms and an interconnecting back portion, an aperture in said back portion located immediately below the line of intersection of the upper arm and back portion, a net holding member including a substantially horizontal arm slidably disposed through said aperture and lying beneath and in contact with the upper arm and adapted to rest directly on the support, saidlrupper arm being substantially flat and being provided with depending lugs at its free end adapted to prevent lateral movement of the horizontal arm of the net holder, said lugs having'a length less than the thickness of the horizontal arm, and means on said lower arm operative through the upper arm to clamp the horizontal arm of the net holder against the support. 7

4. A net holder comprising, in combination, a

clamp made of fiat spring material and having substantially horizontally extending upper and lower arms and an interconnecting back portion,

. an aperture in said back portion immediately below the line of meeting of the upper arm and back portion, a net holding member includinga horizontal arm slidably disposed through said aperture and lying beneath and flush against the upper arm of the clamp and adapted to rest directly on the support, said upper arm having depending lugs at its free end adapted to receive the horizontal arm of the net holder and-retain it against lateral movement, said lugs having a length less than the thickness of the horizontal arm of the net holder, and screw means on the lower arm of the clamp operative through the upper arm to clamp the horizontal arm of the net holder against the support. I

5. A net holder comprising an angular net holding member of flat strip material having a horizontal base arm and an upright arm to support a net, and an angular clamp member of strip material consisting of an upper horizontal flat arm, a lower arm carrying a clamping element, and an upright section spacing and connecting the upper and lower arms, an aperture in the upright section slidably supporting the base arm of the net member beneath the horizontal arm of the clamp member, the clamp member being open immediately below its upper arm and being adapted to fit around the table edge with its upper arm clamping the base arm of the net member directly against the table surface.

- 6. A net holder comprising a net standard having a horizontal base arm adapted to seat against the upper surface of a playing table, and an angular clamp member, said clamp member including an upright section apertured at its upper end to slidably receive the base arm. of the net standard, and including a horizontal arm overlying the base arm of the net standard adapted to hold the latter against the table surface when the clamp member is tightened, the base arm of the net standard projecting below the horizontal clamp arm and adapted to support said ciamparm clear of the surface of the table.

7. A net holder comprising a net standard having a horizontal base arm adapted to seat against the upper surface of a playing table, an angular clamp member, said clamp member including an upright section apertured at itsupper end to slidably receive the base arm of the net standard, and including a horizontal arm overlying the base arm. of the net standard adapted to hold the latter against the table surface when the clamp member is tightened, the base arm of the net standard projecting below the horizontal clamp arm and adapted to support said clamp arm clear of the surface of the table, and guide means for holding said base arm of the net standard in alignment with the horizontal clamp arm located entirely above the table-engaging lower surface of the base arm.

8. A net holder comprising a net standard having a flat horizontal base arm adapted to bear on the upper surface of a playing table, and an angular clamp member of resilient fiat strip material, said clamp member including an upright section apertured at its upper end to slidably receive thehorizontal base arm of the net standard, and including a horizontal clamping arm positioned above the base arm of the net standard and adapted to resiliently engage and hold the standard base arm against the table 'surface when the clamp is tightened.

9. A net holder comprising a net standard having a flat horizontal base arm adapted to seat on the upper surface of a playing table, and an angular clamp member adapted to fit around the edge of the table and adjustably hold the net standard in engagement with the table surface, said clamp member including a resilient upper arm overlying the base arm of the not standard and having a free end portion adapted when the clamp member is tightened to press said standard arm against the table.

10. A net holder comprising a net standard having a fiat horizontal base arm adapted to bear on the upper surface of a playing table,

and an angular clamp member of resilient flat strip material, said clamp member including an upright section apertured at its upper end to slidably receive the horizontal base arm of the net standard, and including a horizontal clamping arm positioned above the base arm of the net standard and adapted to resiliently engage and hold the standard base arm against the table surface when the clamp is tightened, and a screw clamping element carried by the clamp member adapted to engage the under surface of the playing table at a point below the middle portion of the horizontal arm of the clamp member.

11. A net holder comprising a net standard having a horizontal base arm adapted to seat on the upper surface of a playing table, an angular clamp member including an upright section apertured at its upper end to slidably receive the base arm of the net standard and a horizontal clamping arm adapted to overlie and hold said standard arm against the table surface when the clamp member is tightened, and a guide channel for the standard base arm at the underside of the horizontal clamp arm of lesser depth than the thickness of the standard arm.

GEORGE D. ROBERTS. 

